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GAMA: An Association of Appliance and Equipment Manufacturers

www.gamanet.org

September 16, 2005

TO:     ALL U.S. GAMA MEMBERS 

(Delegates, Alternates, Technical Representatives and Government Affairs Coordinators)

Our Industries Invited to Join in DOC-organized Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts

Many individual GAMA member companies have already contributed generously to relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Other companies may be wondering how to go about getting corporate contributions of any kind to the victims of the disaster.  U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez summoned representatives of GAMA and other trade groups to the Commerce Department to brief the business community on what the Department is doing to organize and optimize business involvement in the relief and recovery efforts.

The Secretary announced that a Hurricane Relief Call Center has been established at the Department of Commerce with sixty telephone lines that are staffed seven days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., eastern time, to help match private sector contributions of money, goods or services with those in the Gulf-coast area who need it most.  The Secretary assured the business community representatives that each call to the Call Center will be answered by a live caseworker, not a recorded voicemail options system.  The caseworker taking the call will stay with the case and steer it through the appropriate government offices or agencies until contributions successfully reach the proper destinations.

The toll-free number for the Hurricane Relief Call Center is:  1-888-4USADOC (1-888-487-2362).

The Call Center has been established in conjunction with the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies involved in relief and recovery efforts.  Any questions about further developments in efforts to organize contributions or assistance in contacting the Department of Commerce should be directed to Mike Blevins at GAMA headquarters, 703-525-7060, extension 235, or mblevins@gamanet.org.          

Thank you.

Jack W. Klimp

President